Levers and Buttons
by Optical Goddess
Summary: Squinoa. What does it feel like to go from being an introverted teenager with no responsibility, to being an acclaimed hero, given a huge promotion, on the brink of manhood… and having your very first girlfriend? Take a read in this romantic comedy.
1. Default Chapter

_Acknowledgements_ are at the end of the fic.  I don't own Final Fantasy or Ma and Pa Kettle (has anybody even heard of them?  It is a series of slapstick black and white movies about a farming family with a big handful of kids.  They're hilarious.)  This is dedicated to everybody who enjoyed my previous fics and encouraged me to write another.

_Summary:_  What does it feel like to go from being an introverted teenager with no responsibility, to being an acclaimed hero, given a huge promotion, on the brink of manhood… and having your very first girlfriend?  Take a read in this romantic comedy centering on Squall and Rinoa.  Rated R.  (You all should know by now that I can't resist a little innocent naughtiness!)  Also has a little bit of spoof elements.

"LEVERS AND BUTTONS"

_by_

_Optical Goddess_

You'd think life immediately after defeating an evil almighty sorceress would be smooth for a while.  Just for a week at _least_ maybe; to take the time to breathe in slowly, enjoying the serenity that you have taken back control of your freedom from her reign.  Just for everything to get back to normal, the way things were, consistency.

But, no.  The world had to inevitably adjust.  So many changes were taking place.  Areas around Tear's Point were still trying to fend off remaining monsters from the Lunar Cry.  Esthar, its identity no longer a secret, was beginning to welcome outside civilization and share its technology.  The Garden itself was just beginning to try to work out all the details on it mobile abilities.    Students were trying to adapt to post-war circumstances, mourning the loss of fellow students who ended up as nameless casualties in the Garden civil war.  One consolation at least, the hype they got from the media was dying off fortunately already.

Cid had a headache planning the future finances without Norg's funds.  Of course, the new permanent Commander shared all this stress as well.  One headmaster alone couldn't deal with all these new changes turning about.  The planning for the future needed a new fresh young mind for input on decisions.

However, there was at least one man in the world who thought to take time out and do something fun and relaxing for the famous young heroes—Laguna Loire, President of Esthar.  Sure, he had as many problems and new exciting alterations as all of the other world leaders, but he refused to turn into some overworked, no-personality character drone like his cohorts.

Actually, the real reason he wanted to treat these youngsters to some fun was a very serious motive.  He mentioned to Squall right before time compression that he needed to talk to him. What better way than to coax he and his friends to share his fine amenities at his personal residence for a day?  Large swimming pool, billiards, video games, deluxe hot dog bar, etc…  Laguna, a middle-aged man, became giddy just thinking about what a cool place he lived in.  Now what teenage boy in his right mind could turn down an offer like that?

Obviously, Laguna Loire didn't know his son too well yet.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Balamb Garden was stationed outside Esthar since their return from time compression almost a week ago.  Squall sat at his new temporary desk, organizing these papers with those files, with these negotiations over in the corner, but not to be mixed with the revised schedules in this pile… ugh!  He longed to go outside and join the countless others weeding out extra monsters leftover from the Cry that Rinoa—no; he had to correct himself—the Cry that a _future_ sorceress started.  At least the number of monsters had been controlled inside the city itself so that its inhabitants were no longer in danger.

To others, it just seemed like an ordinary boring task to pass the time and work on training, but to an overworked brand new 17-year old commander that wasn't used to this professional image and responsibilities, going out and doing a little monster hunting sounded like heaven.

The commander stood up from his cushion-backed office chair and strolled over to the high bay window overseeing the arid desert ground below.  He watched as various Garden vehicles transported many fighters to and from the diverse regions of the Estharian continent.

_Lucky scoundrels.  I wonder if any of my friends are down there riding along._  Squall thought for a moment.  _Friends.  Allies.  Comrades._  The corner of his mouth curved up into his cheek slightly, but he wouldn't admit that to be a smile.  _I have actual 'friends' now.  Real friends…  And one very, very nice friend._  The opposite corner of his mouth joined the first as it curled up also, making him feel flushed as he looked toward the ground and covered his mouth with his hand, feeling embarrassed even though he was alone in the office.  He managed to wipe off the alleged 'smile' and peered out the window once more.  

_I wonder when she'll be back.  At least she **said** she was coming back.  She promised.  She wouldn't have been just saying that to be nice, was she?_  Squall furrowed his eyebrows then shook the doubt out of his mind.  _Hyne, man.  She just left a few days ago.  Get a grip.  Of course she'll be back.  She said one of her main objectives is to control her new powers, under the guidance of Edea.  And since Edea is staying here at Garden with Cid, then Rinoa will be back._  

The commander returned to his desk and continued his duties for the next several hours.  When nightfall came, he finally decided to call it a day—a very long day.  Upon returning to his quarters, he found his door ajar.  _What the fuh_--   Inside was one of his new 'friends', Selphie, all cheery-looking and not an ounce of impatience oozing from her huge smile even though she had been waiting there since she finished dinner.

"Squall!  I've been waiting and waiting and waiting for you I've got an exciting invitation you'll never guess who this is going to be so much fun you're just going to flip—"

Squall stood there flabbergasted with the look of 'huh?' all over his face.  "Whoa.  How did you get in here, **why** are you in here?"

"I've come to tell you about a party just for us!"

"But **why** are you _in my room_ to tell me this?  Certainly there is a more practical way of giving me news."

"But I've done this before, like when I had to tell you to get ready for the Graduation dance, remember?"

"Yes, and I was upset then too!" Squall fumed.

"Well why didn't you say somethin'?  I **can** respect your privacy, you know."

With a furrowed brow and scowl, he exclaimed, "Wha--?  Couldn't you tell by the expression on my face??!"

She looked at him innocently.  "Uh… no?  You always look that way," she obviously stated.

Squall just covered his face with his hands and massaged his forehead.  "Selphie, what do you have to tell me?"

"Finally!  Ok, remember Sir Laguna?  Well, he gave me a _personal_ message to pass on to his 'Ultimecia Team', that's us.  He's inviting us over this weekend for a day of fun and relaxation!  At his house!  No worries, no pressing issues for us to deal with, just a fun time to chill out and recuperate from this whole ordeal and aftermath…  Isn't that cool??!"

"Sorry, not interested," Squall said from still behind his hands.

Selphie leaned in a little closer.  "Are you suuuuuuuure?…  Rinoa's gonna be there."

Squall moved a finger aside and peered out of the crack.  "…she is?"

Selphie slugged him in the shoulder.  "I knew that would convince ya'!  This weekend, Laguna's residence, 1400 hours.  Oh!  And bring your swimsuit!"  she called as she exited the room.

After abruptly _locking_ the door this time to his room, Squall plopped down on his mattress.  _Hmm.  A party?  Yuck.  But it sounds like it would just be the few of us… at Laguna's??  That sounds kind of odd.  What, is Ward going to do belly flops into the pool?  _He rolled onto his side staring at his blank wall and sighed.  _But… Rinoa's going to be there, according to Selphie.  Was she telling the truth, or just saying that to get me to go?  If it's the latter I'm going to kill her._

He slid onto his back again to face the matching blank ceiling with a look of puzzlement..  _Wait.  Why should it matter if Rinoa's going or not?  Why should that determine if **I** would go or not?_

He tossed onto his side again and curled into a comfy ball.  _Because you've really got it bad for her, you dummy.  Because just being able to see her again would be the whole highlight of my day.  I wonder if… if she wants to see me there too.  Has she been thinking about me as much as I do her?_  

_If I go to this 'party', is it possible it could be like 'that night'?  Did that even mean anything to her?  Ugh, am I the only one these answers are not obvious to?_  Squall's thoughts referred him back to the night of Ulti's defeat when he somehow got the chance to go outside with Rinoa and they both just stood there, quietly, with nothing to break the ice but look at the clear sky.  He had been gripping the railing so hard his hands hurt.  

_That moment, when we first got out there, felt so… tense, yet I didn't want to be anywhere else.  What the hell was I supposed to say?  I think my whole vocabulary got restless and jumped out of my mind to the water below for a quick swim.  I mean, what else was there to look at?  We certainly weren't going to just stand there staring at **each other**…  not like I wasn't trying to out of the corner of my eye…_

Squall's mouth automatically turned up again as he reminisced what came next:  The flying star out of nowhere sent both of their minds to the flashback of déjà vu.  After minutes of debating on his choice of clever words to make sure she was still awake where she was standing, he found no words needed to be spoken after all.  

Just an action.  An action he still couldn't believe he actually had the guts to go through with.  

Squall closed his eyes as he relived the memory yet again, like he did umpteen times since it happened just less than a week ago, trying to engrain every detail of it into his head so as to never forget.  _I could tell she liked it.  Yeah, she definitely did—I think.  Well, she seemed like she did.  Unless she was just being nice about it…_

_But she did put her arms around me when it was done.  Voluntarily.  Yeah, she must have liked it._  

His face became forlorn and the smile faded.  _Too bad that was the only time we were alone like that.  With Irvine and that silly video camera, saying something about us having to act out that scene again when they replaced the batteries… talk about mood killers.  And the days to follow just got worse with the press and media trying to get every word out of us, not to mention all the other new situations we had to deal with with the world._  His headache reminded him it was still there and he groaned.

He recalled back to the brief conversation they shared after one of the many press conferences.  Rinoa now had the opportunity to check up on her resistance group after their base had been destroyed after the President's broadcast way back on Disc One.  Plus she didn't even get to see Zone and Watts on their last encounter onboard the White SeeD ship because of her coma.  She needed to know they were all right, and had to fulfill her promise of liberating Timber together.  Oh how Squall wanted to go with her, to keep her safe from the reporters, but all he said was, 

"Yes, you should go do that."

_Ugh.  Again, I didn't know what to say.  I wasn't about to get all mushy and go on about how much I would worry about her, and miss her, and look at my watch and calendar waiting for the time to go by waiting to see her again--  No, definitely not… although, I probably would have meant it.  Ok, I know she was worried sick about her resistance friends since this whole mess started.  I don't blame her for wanting to go visit them.  I wonder what it feels like to have a whole bunch of friends like she does.  It must be overwhelming.  Geez, I only have a small handful and I don't even have time for **them**.  _

He shrugged off his SeeD uniform and boots and finally settled into bed.  _Until this weekend.  I'm going not only for Rinoa, I'm going to spend time with my friends._

_&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&_

The busy days continued and the weekend finally arrived.  Squall already felt mentally exhausted coming from some leadership meeting that ran longer than expected.  He was already an hour late for this supposed 'party' in Esthar, and he hadn't even left the Garden yet.  He changed into his casual clothes of black pants, white shirt, and grabbed his black jacket as he headed for the door.

He stopped short and held up his finger as he remembered something.  _Swimsuit!_

He spun back to his dresser.  _Swimsuit?  Maybe I'll just pass on that._

Heading back to the door, he put his hand to his forehead.  _But what if I'm the only one there without one and everyone else is in the pool, like Zell, Irvine, Rinoa--  Rinoa._

_Rinoa__à swimsuit._

_Swimsuit!!_

Squall quickly sprinted back to his dresser, grabbed his trunks, and headed out the Garden to the outskirts of Esthar.  After taking a few wrong lifts and ending up on the wrong side of town, he pulled out his official strategy guide and found the 2-page map layout for Esthar on page 260. (_Damn!  I always get lost in this city!_)  He finally arrived at the Presidential Residence over two hours late.

Maybe I should just forget it.  Everyone's probably already written me off as a no-show anyhow.  "Typical Squall.  He's always dodging social shindigs.  This party was even dedicated to him and the others.  What a rude jerk."

_Well, I'm not a jerk!  Um, most of the time.  And I **am** here.  Here goes nothin'._

Squall walked up to the door, still anxious and pondering that it still wasn't too late to turn around.  He rang the bell and a boisterous Selphie, sporting a tiny yellow polka-dotted bikini, answered.

"SQUALLY!  You **did** come what took you so so long the rest of us have been here for like forever well not actually **all** of us all of us but most of us—"

Selphie was dragging him by the arm throughout the house as she directed him towards the back.  Squall did all he could to try not to stare as she bounced around in front of him wearing her teeny getup.  He was never physically attracted to her, but he wasn't exactly expecting to be greeted with-- that.

"Selphie.  First, can you slow down you're making me trip."

The over-energetic girl stopped running.  And thankfully for Squall's distraction problem, she stopped—bouncing, as well. 

"Second, what did you mean by not all of us are here?  Who's missing?"  _Is Rinoa the one not here?  No!  That would be awful.  I may as well start brooding now.  I'm going to kill Selphie for getting my hopes all high and then she's not even **here**, which is the only reason I tried to get here as soon as I cou-- _

Selphie interrupted his rambled thoughts.  "Well, Quistis and Ellone are off in Galbadia engrossed in some new Garden project yadda yadda thing, and Sir Laguna was here earlier to greet us, but after awhile when you were the only one not here yet, he looked kinda sad and said he had some business to attend to.  So he headed to his office or something and said he'd be back later.  It's just the five of us, including you.  He told us to just make ourselves at home and to help ourselves!  Isn't he just super?!  C'mon, everyone's been wondering about you!"

They arrived at the rear of the mansion.  Patio doors separated a kitchenette leading out to a medium-sized swimming pool with luxurious amenities only Barbie would own, just not in pink.  A shiny BBQ grill was positioned to the side.  Various floatation devices were stored in a little shed on the other side.  The pool walls were painted blue to make the water more appealing.  The bright sun shone white reflections on the small waves caused by Irvine and Zell splashing in the water.  Surrounding the pool's perimeter were many lounge chairs, one of which was occupied by a familiar fair skinned, dark-haired young woman wearing sunglasses and sitting with knees bent up to her chest, slightly laughing at the 2 'boys' playing in the water.

"Look, everyone!  Squall's here!!" Selphie announced as she shoved him through the patio's doorway.  Again, because of her aggressiveness, she pushed him a little too hard and made him trip again--

--Over the bottom railway for the sliding door.  Squall flew forward and hit the cement, stopping himself with his hands and knees before his face could meet the hard ground.  He instinctively closed his eyes at the impact.  He could hear voices around him.  

"Oops!  Soooooorrrrrrry."

"Ha!  I told you, Kinneas, he'd show up.  I won!  Pay up!"

"Oh, Squall!  Are you okay?  Selphie, you really know how to introduce someone, don't you?"

_Oh, Hyne, just kill me now!_

He felt a hand on his arm, helping him back up.  Squall tilted up his head to find himself gazing up at the beautiful creature.  Sunglasses now pushed up on the top of her head, Rinoa was kneeling in front of him wearing flip-flops and a blue Hawaiian-print 1-piece bathing suit.  He met her eyes and momentarily forgot his English.

"Uh… yeah, I'm fine," wiping his stinging hands on his pants.

"Yo, Squall!"  Zell had climbed out of the pool and was dripping wet.  "Did you **see** this place, man??  I've just got one word:  HOT DOG BAR, baby!!"

"That's more than one word, moron," Irvine came up behind him.

Zell glared at him for a second, realizing he hadn't thought that out before speaking.  He turned back to Squall, "Anyway, my point is check out his pad!  Every room's got this high techno shit installed, levers and buttons that practically dress and feed you, it's just like that ol' black and white Ma and Pa Kettle's home of the future movie!"

Selphie jumped into the conversation, elaborating on the new topic, "Hey, I saw that movie!  At some old classics marathon at Trabia when I was younger."

Zell turned to her and they engaged into their own little conversation, wildly throwing their arms about as they relived their favorite scenes.  Their eyes looked about to pop out of their faces as they illustrated their exaggerations.

"So, what took ya' so long?  Get lost or somethin'?"  Irvine asked.

"No, meeting went long."  _And **then** I got lost._  Squall unconsciously touched his gunblade sheath, making sure his strategy guide was safely tucked in, out of view.

Rinoa smiled, "At least you still decided to come.  This was starting to become a drag, but now that the life of the party is here, we can liven things up!"

_Me?  The life of the party?  More like the empty stiff uncomfortable chair at the party that gets pushed off to the side 'cause no one wants to sit in it._

Rinoa continued, pointing a finger at Irvine accusingly, "And I hope you learned your lesson by losing that chunk of gil to Zell."

Irvine shrugged at Squall, "So, I put a little a wager on if you were gonna show up or not.  At least I wasn't like **her**," pointing back at Rinoa, "slouching in her lawn chair, whining and worrying her little head off if something happened to you on the way heermmfph—"

"Want to join us in the water, Squall?" Rinoa asked with bright hopeful eyes, her hand clamped over Irvine's mouth.

The word "water" made him glance down at Rinoa's suit for some reason.  Maybe how that word held a sense of refreshment.  The different hues of blue in her suit _also_ gave him a feeling of refreshment.  He now first noticed the zipper right in the front that he didn't see before, just opened maybe an inch from the top. 

_Shit.  How long have I been staring at that??_  He quickly diverted his eyes back to her face and tried to act natural, putting a hand on his hip and nodding.  "Uh, yeh, Selphie told me.  I mean, she told me to bring my suit.  You know, in—in case we go swimming."

Rinoa had a little smile on her face.  Squall didn't know if she had that look as if to say, 'Yeah whatever why were you staring at my zipper so long you perv?'  Or was she inwardly laughing at his idiocy to answer her small simple question?  _I'm not a perv.  I'm not!  Just the association of water, the pool water is blue, her suit is blue…_

_Sure, the sky is blue, too.  But then why didn't I happen to look at that instead?_

Irvine showed him where to change his clothes.  Squall slipped into his civilian red iridescent loose-fitting swimming shorts.  He started to feel self-conscious about going back out there half naked.  _It's not like I've never been out in public to go swimming before.  I've looked like this in front of my fellow classmates several times.  Selphie, Zell, Irvine, it's no different._

_But Rinoa, she's not a classmate.  She's—she's something else, some**one** else, to me.  I don't know what to call her:  My friend?  My friend whom I like very very much?  My friend whom I tend to favor a little bit more?  My friend whom I wouldn't mind doing things with that I certainly wouldn't do with any of my other friends?_

"Oh, my, you **can** dress in color!" remarked Rinoa when he came to the poolside.  She was already in the water, admiring his red shorts and the small rainbow of colors that they reflected.  He couldn't help but match his cheeks to his shorts.  _Thank Hyne I didn't grab my standard issue SeeD ones instead._  He shuddered at the thought of what her reaction would be if he came out wearing those tight black Speedo's with the SeeD's emblem stamped on the hip, especially since no one else was wearing theirs either.  _Wise choice._

A few balls were thrown in from the toy shed on the side.  What started as a little 'keep-away' game from Selphie, (started by Irvine in his dirty attempts to watch her try to jump as high as she could in her itsy bikini to try to catch the ball too far up in the air), turned into an all out war between the whole gang; the people on the ends trying to keep the ball(s) away from the ones in the middle.  Basic, and some ridiculous, rules were made up as they went along playing their own version of 'monkey in the middle'.  If an end person failed to catch a ball and lost it to one of the 'monkeys', they would have to switch places.

Things were getting very competitive, yet no scores were being mentally recorded, and everyone was laughing at some of the funny saves that were made.  Once in awhile, Irvine could be seen trying to "grab" an opportunity whenever Selphie was on his side and a ball came at their direction.  

At one point, Squall was on one end and Rinoa was a 'monkey' with her back towards him.  Zell was on the opposite end trying to give signals to Squall as to where he was going to throw his ball.  Rinoa kept backing up to Squall, her arms flailed out at her sides in order to keep him back and away from advancing forward.  She constantly glanced back at him, making sure he stayed back.  Hearing her constant giggles, made Squall giggle also, seeing how cute it was to see her try her best to contain him from catching the ball that was soon to be thrown at them.  He liked it when she kept looking back at him, but she also had to keep an eye on the ball also.

At Zell's frustration of Squall not being open, he ended up throwing the ball to someone else, yet Rinoa still played as though she were trying to keep Squall back.  _Is she flirting with me?  She wasn't this competitive with the other guys._  He wanted to find some way of getting the heads up on her the next time a ball would come their way.  _She's got me laughing so hard now, I feel like my mouth is going to fall off.  Wait…I'm laughing!  And I can't stop!  I hope I don't look dorky.  Is that why Rinoa is still laughing too?_

Her arms still stretched across in front of him were making it hard for him to get open.  He had to do something about it.  _Well, it **is** a physical game._  He put his hands on her elbows and pushed her arms down, only to have her whip them out again.  They were playing their own little game, Squall fighting for control of his position, yet neither really cared who would have caught a ball at that moment.  The bodily struggle was more entertaining to the two of them.  Squall finally grabbed hold of her wrists and held them together behind her back.  She tugged slightly, but Squall could tell she wasn't using all her strength to get out of the hold.  

Rinoa threw her head back and continued laughing.  Squall leaned forward to the side of her face and laughed, "You're not keeping me back this time!"

She opened her eyes to watch him speak to her.  She momentarily relaxed her arms and they gazed at each other for only an instant before Squall felt her wriggle her fingers, causing a ticklish, fluttery feeling across his abdomen.

"Agyh!"  A big grin formed on his face as he let go and backed away just far enough from her tricky hands.

"Yo, incoming!!" brought their attention to their surroundings.  The two looked up just in time to see one of the balls headed right for them.  "Shit!" was heard with a simultaneous shriek from Rinoa as they both dove to grasp it before the other could even lay their hands on it.  Squall was able to leap farther than her in the water and gained distance on her.  

"No!"  Rinoa shouted behind him, desperate to not let him have it.  Just before Squall could grab it, he felt something grip his clothing from behind him, pulling on his waistband.  But the closer he got to the ball, he could have sworn he didn't feel the back of that waistband on his skin anymore, as if the back of his shorts were being pulled down.  This caused him to lose his footing, not to mention his hands on the ball, and choked out a gasped "hey!" as his mouth filled with water.

He stood back up, spit out the bitter chlorine taste that lingered on his tongue, and reached down at his shorts to make sure they were still fitting where they should be.  Squall spun around to face the culprit, who had one hand covering her mouth, and the other held up in defensive mode.  

"Oh, Squall, I am (haha) so sorry (hehehehe)!" Rinoa said in between fits of laughter, not believing what she just did.  "I didn't mean to be so aggressive, I just grabbed at the first thing I could get my hands on!"

Normally, Squall would have been furious at anyone who even dared to attempt a stunt like that, even if it was accidental.  Everything happened so fast, that he just held a blank look of shock on his face.

"Nyah, nyah," gleamed Selphie as she hastily grabbed the abandoned ball.

Squall watched Selphie swim off with her prize to resume his previous role on one of the ends.  He looked back to the devil in blue again, who still had an apologetic, yet slightly fearful, look in her eyes.  

_If you can't beat 'em, join 'em._  He cocked his head and stated, "Looks like we're both 'monkeys' now."

Relief flooded Rinoa's expression, probably because he chose to spare her life after that bold incident.  She smiled, raising one arm to scratch the top of her head and the other her stomach, screeching out the noise, "Ooh, ooh, eeh, eeh, eeh!"  She then swam over to the middle of the pool again to continue with the others.

He put his hand on his forehead as he rolled his eyes.  _She can be so strange sometimes…_

_…I like that._

The game carried on with Selphie and Irvine at the ends; Squall, Rinoa, and Zell splashing around in the middle.  Somehow a third and even fourth balls made their way into the chaos.  Every time Squall leapt to catch a flyer, Rinoa would pounce towards him with all her strength, whamming into his side and bringing the both of them down into the water again without catching a single thing.  They both were laughing quite hard again and the competition between the two seemed to have no boundaries.  Squall trusted that she was going to be careful not to pull on his clothing again.

Oddly, there being five people and four balls, Rinoa nor Squall could get a chance to even touch _one_.  At her incessant attempts to prevent Squall from leaping to catch one, she would cause them to sink.  Squall found himself automatically holding onto her safely as he helped push the both of them back up to the surface.  They had swallowed much water, and a few times it had even gone up their noses. But after each time this happened, they continued on, refusing to stop.  After about the umpteenth time, Squall realized he was enjoying the torture simply because it was an excuse to be near her, to hold onto her after she collided into him.

Some time had gone by, and by the end of the game, there were no 'end' people left.  Everyone became 'monkeys', splashing each other with the balls, with the exception of Squall and Rinoa who _still _had yet to touch one.  Their hands and arms were busy shoving, splashing, and dunking each other.

"Doesn't anybody think it's time to eat now?" asked Zell, recuperating from the heavy physical activity.

"I have to pee," announced Selphie.

"Me, too," Rinoa agreed.

Squall hadn't realized he still had his arms around her body until she loosened the embrace she also had on him to swim to the ladder to get out.  He watched her lithe figure crawl up the metal steps.  He also watched her tug down the rear of her suit, as it had ridden up on her during all the horseplay.

_I really hope her sorceress powers don't allow her to read minds._

His silent admiration of her form was interrupted as something bounced off his head.  Squall looked to the source and found Irvine and Zell snickering from the edge.  

"At least that got your attention," Zell teased.  "You're as bad as this guy!" he said, pointing to the cowboy.  "Help us get those tasty dogs on the grill."

Squall took the beach ball that hit his head and tossed it back.  He felt his cheeks getting warmer and smiled slightly as he realized they saw him staring at Rinoa as she walked away.  He quickly dipped under the surface and swam underwater to hide the embarrassment on his face.

The group grilled the hot dogs that Laguna bought for the occasion and ate outside as the desert sun went down.  The guys cleaned up the table afterwards to make room for a little Triple Triad action.  The girls went inside the house to look around and turn on some lights for outside.  Selphie came across some kind of sound system with various music discs to choose from.

"Hey, Rinoa, here's the disc with that song we played for you and Squall at the FH concert!" Selphie exclaimed.

"Ooh!  I love Celtic music!" Rinoa answered.

"Yeah!  It's the happy Irish Jig version with the guitar, violin, flute, and tap that you ended up liking so much, and by choosing that combination of instruments made your conversation with Squall go really smooth.  It's not the other alternative you could have chosen that would have been a Slow Dance rendition of "Eyes On Me" that you whined about and said it basically sucked which ended up with you telling Squall off and leaving the scene," Selphie stated matter-of-factly.

Rinoa gave her a puzzled expression, "…Huh?"

Meanwhile, the men outside had set up their Triple Triad cloth-playing mat.  Zell had raided the deluxe hot dog bar one last time and loaded his big ¼-pounder with everything he could pile on it: ketchup, mustard, relish, diced onions, cucumber, banana peppers, tomato, chili, cheese, and to top it off, a splotch of sauerkraut to boot.  He grabbed another beer and plopped down at the table where the other two men were getting out their decks.

Squall asked, "Are you sure we can be drinking Laguna's beer?  I'm mean, we're a little young, it's not ours, and he's not even here."

Irvine answered, "Don't sweat it.  He was here earlier before you got here, remember?  He specifically showed us what we could eat and drink from the fridge before he left.  He bought it for us along with the hot dogs and other snacks we've been eating."

Squall eyed Zell suspiciously, "Yeah, but I don't think he intended us to get plastered with it," knowing Zell had drunk an equal ratio of one beer to every dog, which by now had to be a lot.  Squall had never been drunk before, and didn't plan on that happening at the president of a frickin' nation's house.

While Zell polished off the last of his meal, the other two men had gone underway playing.  "Hey, ishn't it cool that they made cardsh of ush, man?!!" Zell spat while chomping.

Ever since they became nationally known after Ulti's defeat, Level 10 cards were made in their honor.  A card was made for each of the heroes, including Edea and Seifer.  

After a few rounds of cards, Irvine had claimed a couple of Squall's better cards, _Seifer_ and _Diablos_.  Irvine inspected his new _Seifer_ card closely, "What the hell?  What is this?  It looks like someone drew glasses and a goatee on his face, then did a shitty job of trying to scrub it off."

Squall laughed nervously, "Uh-- no, I think you're just seeing things.  Those are probably just his whipass battle scars."  He meticulously polished his remaining cards with his hand, suddenly becoming very interested in them.

Irvine shrugged it off and shuffled them into his deck, turning to Zell,  "Are you done eating yet?  I wanna challenge your drunken ass."

"I'm not drunk (hic)!  You're on, John Wayne Newton."

Irvine smirked to Squall, indicating this was going to be a piece of cake.

Going first, Irvine placed an _Imp_ in the upper left corner.  Zell played a _Grand Mantis_ directly underneath, flipping the _Imp_.

"So…  Squall…  The girls are out of sight, tell us what you and Rinoa have been up to lately!"  Irvine rapidly raised his eyebrows suggestively.

"What makes you think we've been 'up to' anything?  We're—we're not even together.  I mean, we're not like that.  We're friends," Squall denied, albeit a little too obviously.  Then he added softly, "Besides, I haven't even seen her since that celebration night."

Irvine put an _Armadodo_ in the dead center, flipping back the _Mantis_.  "Yeah, right, just friends.  We **would** have gotten your make-out session on the camcorder if it weren't for the dang batteries going dead."

Zell played his _GIM47N_ above the _Armadodo_, thereby flipping it.  Squall continued, defending himself, "We were **not** 'making out'!  We were—um—"  _Damn you, Irvine, just drop it.  I don't know what to say!!_  

The cowboy put a _Jelleye_ in the upper right corner, flipping the _GIM47N_.  Zell came to Squall's verbal rescue inadvertently, ""C'mon, guys!  I'm trying to concentrate here.  I can't do that if you're swapping belt-notch stories."   Zell countered the previous move with _Vysage_ right below the _Jelleye_, flipping the latter.

_This conversation is not getting better._  "This isn't a belt-notch story!  It's not even **near** the belt!" Squall exclaimed.

"Oh, so it's still above it, then," Irvine snickered as he placed a _Wedge, Biggs_ underneath Zell's _Vysage_, overpowering it.  

Squall rolled his eyes and muttered, "Whatever."  Turning back his attention to their card game, he rerolled his eyes as he watched Zell's last move.  With only two squares left on the grid, Zell put down a _Glacial Eye_ in the lower left corner, turning over the _Mantis_ above it, making the score 5-3 so far in Zell's favor.  

"Whoo,hoo!  Take that!" Zell was gleaming, thinking he had the game in the bag.

Irvine peered up at him from his cards remaining in his hand.  "You're kidding, right?"  The only empty spot left was in the lower center, adjacent to the _1_ on the _Glacial Eye, _which Zell had just so 'cleverly' played.  Squall put a hand to his forehead and shook his head as he witnessed Irvine slam Zell with a _Jumbo Cactuar_ in the last spot, taking both the _Glacial Eye_ **and** _Armadodo_ above it, thereby winning the game.    

Zell, with wide eyes, looked at his deck in his hands, back at the grid, and retraced his steps.  "**_Damn!!!_**"

"Squall, another game?  I want to play a hand where I actually have to think," Irvine joked.

As the two less inebriated men began to shuffle their decks, they heard fanciful folk music piped in through the outdoor speakers.  _I've heard this sound before._

Irvine noticed the compositions also and commented, "Hey, I recognize this as the same band who does that jig we played at the FH concert."  He looked over at the blond still fuming at his card-playing mistake.  "Dance for us again, Zell."

The martial artist's nonverbal reply was the show of a back of a clenched fist, with only a certain finger protruding upwards from it, accompanied by a death glare.  Squall started out the card game by placing _Bahamut_ in the lower right corner.

Irvine nonchalantly put down his _Diablos_ in the far opposite corner, directing the conversation towards the other brunette besides himself, "Speaking of the FH concert, did you enjoy that magazine I left for you?"

_I still can't believe he wasn't joking when he said he left it there!_  The mention of that particular issue of _Girl Next Door_ caused Squall to lose concentration for a moment, recalling the straight-on image of a nude redheaded woman on the front cover, her legs straddling the seat of a motorbike, and hunched down just far enough for the handlebars to conceal her breasts.  He remembered the panic he felt when Rinoa commented, 'oh, a naughty magazine,' hoping she wouldn't think that he had anything to do with it being there.  

Putting _Leviathan_ in the upper right corner, Squall said, "Get real.  You don't just sit down and look through a porno mag with a girl.  That's just—too awkward." 

Irvine used his newly acquired _Seifer_ and placed it in the middle top row, flipping _Leviathan_ to his favor.  "It's not that awkward.  Selph and I do that all the time."  He leaned forward, "It gets her hot!"

After hearing that comment, Squall's attention was diverted from his loss of control over the water guardian's card and looked at Irvine.  "You're making that up."

"No, I'm serious.  I've shown her my whole collection.  It piques her curiosity." 

Looking at his cards at what to play next, Squall couldn't shake the subject enough to think clearly, inwardly blaming it on the little alcohol he had consumed so far.  "You mean, you and her have—already?!"

Irvine chuckled, "We have been before we even got to Ulti's castle."  He lowered his gaze and added in a sentimental tone, "We didn't think we were going to live much longer.  Especially with the Garden attacks and the near-death experience at the missile base…  We didn't want to die before we had a chance to be with each other."  His pride returned and he raised his head again, "Not like I didn't already share that experience with other women before her."

Zell finally spoke up, "See, I told you guys you were swappin' belt-notch stories."

The girls stepped through the patio and walked over to where the boys were playing on the glass tabletop.  Rinoa boldly sat down in Squall's lap, wrapping an arm around his neck as she asked, "So who's winning?"

_I'm never going to be able to concentrate on this game!  But…_

_…I don't think I mind._

With his cards splayed out in his one hand, he noticed with Rinoa now sitting in his lap, he wasn't sure what to do with the other hand.  If he kept it out in front, he'd have to rest it on her thigh, _Uh, no, I better not put it there!_  Or he could use both hands to hold onto his cards, but then his elbow would poke her in the chest and ribs.  _I can't have it there either._  Finally, he carefully snaked it around from in-between their bodies and rested it on the small of her back.  He felt elastic on her waist and noticed she had put shorts on over her suit, hair was combed, and had her flip-flops on again also.

"That would be me, darlin'," gloated Irvine who was up 3 to 1.  Squall noticed Irvine glancing at Rinoa's chest, not being able to speak directly to her face.  

_What does he think he's doing?!_  Squall glared at the man who he assumed must have dirty thoughts racing through his mind, looking at_ his_ girl.   He followed Irvine's invisible trail, still cursing him.  _Well, she's not **my** girl, but he should know better, he's already got one and I'm surprised Selphie hasn't belted him one yet-- _

_…ooohh…  nip-ons…_

_Still!_  He shot one last angry glare at Irvine, maneuvering his hand of cards to hinder his view.

"And it's my turn," Squall said out loud, more or less to remind himself to get his mind back in the game.  Although he didn't want to take his hand away from its newfound spot on Rinoa's back to place down his card on his turns.

His lap companion must have read his mind because she offered, "Would you like me to pick out your card and put it on the grid for you while you hold them?"

"Sure."

Rinoa looked at the cards fanned out in his hand and gasped.  She grabbed his wrist and brought them closer, raising them slightly to cover their faces so her voice couldn't be heard by his opponent, and whispered, "I didn't know you had this card.  I haven't even seen it _myself_ yet!"  She was pointing to her own Level 10 card, next to his own on the far right of the few that still remained in his hand.

Squall whispered back, thanking Hyne that neither of them had decided to put onions on their hot dogs earlier, "I had to sacrifice _Ifrit_ to your fath—I mean, the General, to get it."

Rinoa's expression looked like she had just witnessed Angelo giving birth to a litter of puppies, "Ohhhhh, that's so sweet."

Squall felt himself in an odd situation, hoping she wouldn't wonder why he had gone out of his way to get her card.  He shrugged, "It was nothing.  I can always win _Ifrit_ back."  The closeness of having Rinoa's face near his own as they exchanged hushed words sent his mind reeling back to that celebration night on the balcony.  _Her eyes are so soft and full.  Just like her lips were.  If we were alone, right now, I could just lean over, kiss her like I did that night--_

A third whispering voice was heard at Squall's other ear, startling them both.  "And isn't it cute that he's holding the two of you next to each other??  Teehee!"  Selphie was bent down on the other side of Squall, pointing out their two cards side by side in his hand.

The shy young man looked at one woman to the other, trying to come up with his practical explanation that he knew had to be lying around somewhere in his motives.  "I always arrange my cards from left to right, weakest to strongest in my hand.  Those just happen to be the strongest in my hand right now," he defended.  He looked at both their cards again.  _Gotta admit, we do look good together._

"**Ahem!**"  Irvine cleared his throat to the three whisperers behind the fan of cards.  "Squall, go already!"

Rinoa pointed to _Odin_ in Squall's hand and he nodded approval.  She placed it on the left in the middle row.  _She sure feels a lot heavier than she did onboard the Ragnarok.  Of course, there was no gravity and if I didn't hold onto her she would start floating up and away from me.  She was so insecure about her new abilities back then.  Now she seems more confident, and I'm not going to let her float away from me this time._

Irvine had put _Quistis_ below the card just played and flipped it.  Rinoa took a moment to think before pointing to _Minotaur_ and looking to Squall for acceptance.  "Where?" he asked softly, not wanting to broadcast their strategies to everyone.

Rinoa mouthed the word, _Bottom_.  Watching her lips move but no sound caused him to automatically concentrate on her lips for communication.  He stared at her partially open mouth for a split second longer, waiting for her to 'say' something else, _wanting _her to do that again.  He nodded in agreement.

Irvine continued, playing _Cerberus_ underneath _Leviathan_.  

With Rinoa being slightly elevated on Squall's lap, he happened to eye her zipper once again, still opened to some extent.  This combined with the sensuous movements of her lips a moment ago provoked an unintentional stirring down below.  _Shit.  No.  Not now.  Not now!  Don't get hard, DON'T get hard…_

It was their turn, the only spot left on the grid being the center.  Rinoa was calculating their last move in her head.  A smile formed on her face as she went to pluck her own card from his hand.  

Squall stopped her, "Nn-hnn.  Wait."  He rubbed his thumb over his own card, gesturing to her that she should play that one instead.

_Why,_ she mouthed silently.

_Better, _he mouthed back.

She gave him a look as if to say, 'Are you saying you're better than me?'

Squall's face cringed and he quickly explained aloud, "No, no, I didn't mean it that way!"  He continued softly, "It's a guaranteed win.  We've got the game."

The stubborn rebel on his lap pulled out the _Rinoa_ card from his hand and mouthed the words, _Trust me._

She placed her own card in the center, making a plus combo with _Seifer, Leviathan, Rinoa, Cerberus_.  And hence, taking the game.

"No fair, that was 2 heads against 1," whined Irvine.

"We won!  We won!"  Rinoa tightened her embrace around Squall's neck and hugged him.

She was gleaming at her victory and bouncing in Squall's lap.  "Good job.  I didn't know you knew the game so well," he complimented as he in turn held onto her tighter so she wouldn't slide off.  He could feel her chest pressed against his neck and her bouncing was vibrating the whole lawn chair.  _Her body feels so warm… so soft.  Her movements are shaking both of us.  Now if she was just facing me a little more, maybe with one leg draped on the other side of me, and she kept doing that…_  

His body began to react to his thoughts again.  _No. Argh!  Must stop thinking like that. Not again.  Not again!_  In an effort to stop her celebrating, Squall offered, "Since your card won the game, why don't you pick out the card we should keep of Irvine's."

"Oh, thank you!"  She looked over the grid and decided on the strongest Level 10 card on the board, _Seifer_.  Once she had it up close, she studied it and said, "When did Seifer grow a goatee?"

***Thanks to _RobertDogwood_ for the tremendous help on Triple Triad.  Without him, that whole section would have probably only been 3 sentences long.

Go on!  Click on chapter 2!  Hurry! -------à


	2. Chapter 2

It's about time you got here! J

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Accepting his loss, Irvine said, "Let's pack up and go inside."  As Rinoa was removing her arm from Squall's neck, she quickly twirled a tuft of his hair right by his nape around her finger before withdrawing her arm from him completely.  Squall felt sudden shivers all over his body that tingled up and down his back, curling his toes.  

_Oh Hyne.  That felt so good.  She **is** flirting with me!  Does she have any idea what she's doing to me?  I wish I could do something like that in return, without looking obvious._  

He decided to do something similar; as he was removing _his_ arm from where it was resting on the small of her back, he intentionally moved his hand past the back of her own neck, quickly and softly flipping a cluster of her damp hair through his fingers before bringing his arm back to his side.  

_Okay, that went well.  Subtle, yet it was there.  She had to have felt that.  I just hope no one else caught it._

"I saw that," Zell accused.  

"What?"  Squall froze, now wishing he didn't attempt that simple movement, that gesture that implied to all who witnessed how he really felt about her.

"Irvine!  I just caught him trying to sneak a few of my good cards into his deck as we're cleaning up!"

Squall relaxed, inwardly laughing at his misunderstanding and apparent paranoia of any sort of public affection he was trying to get away with.  He noticed Rinoa slightly laughing to herself as well.  He wondered if she assumed the same thing he did about Zell's observation.

"Squall and I will be right in," said the girl on his lap.

_Huh?  Oh!  We will?  What is she planning?_

Rinoa finally got up off of his quadriceps and offered her hand to help Squall out of his lawn chair.  Everyone else had gathered their cards and stepped into the house, leaving the two by themselves on the patio by the pool.  Rinoa drew him in closer.

_Whoa.  What is she doing?  At least wait until the others are out of sight in there in the kitchen!_

She held up a finger and said, "One last dip!" before shoving him into the still pool water that had calmed down after all the horseplay in it earlier.  Dusk had set in, but large lamps installed into each pool wall illuminated the water.  

_Cold!!_  

Squall surfaced, whipping his now drenched-again hair back and wiping his eyes.  He saw her smiling face, crouched by the side where she had just pushed him in.  Her shorts and sandals had been taken off and were in a pile to the side.  The zipper at the front of her suit also seemed to be hanging just a tad lower than Squall remembered seeing it hang earlier in the day.

_I guess the water's not that bad._

Rinoa remained crouched and didn't jump in after him.  _She undressed down to her bathing suit to come back in, right?  Maybe she's waiting for **me** to pull her in._

Squall swam up to her and propped his feet against the pool wall, curling his toes around the rim to hold him in place, making a horizontal squat.  "I'm assuming that you're going to join me?"  He then took hold of her forearms and pushed off the wall with his legs, propelling the both of them to the center of the pool with Rinoa on top of him.  They began to sink as they lost momentum and let go of each other to swim back to the surface.

Rinoa splashed him, laughing and said, "You had me scared there for a second.  I had no idea what you were going to do.  That was creative.  It felt like I was on a ride."

"Yeah, that was fun.  At least until we started sinking."

"Let's do that again!" she chirped.  She didn't wait for his response as she swam back to the edge again, climbed out, and resumed her previous crouching position.

"Um, o—okay," Squall stuttered, that section of his mind that worried about what others thought of him told him that they what they were doing looked silly.  _Oh screw it, nobody's watching us anyway._  He looked quickly to the patio door leading into the house and the surrounding windows just to confirm that there were no peepers.

He again swam up to her, curled his toes around the rim and took hold of her arms.  "Ready?"

Rinoa nodded and the two were pushed out to the center again, creating waves that reached the far ends of the pool.  If not for the presence of the water, this could have been a more intimate situation.  But as they glided through the water, they had to shut their eyes and hold their breaths.  

"Just a couple more times, please?"  Rinoa begged.

Squall looked at her with large eyes.  "**Again?**"

She nodded ecstatically.

_She's really enjoying this.  Is it the thrill like being on a ride like she said?  Or… maybe it's the part where she lands on top of me?_

"C'mon, Squall.  I feel like a kid again!  Humor me.  How many chances are we going to get to act so carefree like this?  After everything that's happened, I feel like I'm obligated to act all serious and proper and uphold this image that's been forced upon me."

_I'm sorry you have to feel like that.  I know what you mean.  We're role models now, others expect us to act a certain way._  

He smirked, allowing Rinoa's attitude to rub off on him.  "Race you to the edge!"

They continued the "ride" as Rinoa referred to it a couple more times.  "Okay, now your turn.  You climb out and I'll pull you in."

"Rinoa, I don't know if it's going to work that way.  I mean, I'm heavier and I'm going to land on top of you."

"I see the way you do it, it looks easy."  

Squall reluctantly climbed out and squatted at the edge while she attempted to hook her toes onto the rim like he did.  Her smaller feet kept slipping and didn't grip as tight as his did earlier.  "How do you do this?  I must be at a wrong angle."

Squall tried to help her curl her toes more snug, but that only made her retract and giggle.  "That tickles!!  Okay, I got it now.  So now I grab onto your arms like this?  Ready?"

"I guess so," Squall looked down, still feeling like he was going to crush her when they pushed off.  Instead, the glide was very smooth and he could feel two spots of pressure on his chest from where her own was pressing onto his.  However, this time they didn't go very far, Rinoa's legs not having the strength that her companion's had to push them off.  They abruptly starting sinking and Squall could hear her closed-mouthed giggling as they went underwater.

They both laughed as they stood straight again.  Rinoa said, "Okay, that didn't work as well as I thought.  But it's fascinating how weightless you are once you're in the water."  She grinned evilly, "In fact, I bet I could lift you up and carry you around this pool!"  

Before Squall had a chance to react, Rinoa had scooped him up like in romance movies where the guy picks the girl up off her feet and carries her off to some unknown romantic spot to do what they please.  

"Aaugh!  Hey!!"  Squall kicked his legs in the air as she held onto him, splashing water all around them.  She had one arm behind his upper back, and one underneath the backs of his knees.  He had nowhere to go, no leverage to fight back on.

Rinoa couldn't stop laughing at the fact that this was even possible, to carry something with ease that weighed more than she did.  "Stop struggling, or I'll tickle you in the kneepits!"

He stopped flailing and looked at her with incredulous curiosity.  "_Knee_pits??"

"Yeah, your kneepits.  You know, it's like an armpit, but it's at your knees…?" she looked at him expectantly, hoping he would buy her bullshit.  She casually spun them in slow circles as they were talking.

_Hmm… she's got a point.  It's the area under the knee.  Like an armpit is the area under the arm—wait, it's under the shoulder, actually, so wouldn't that be a shoulderpit—why am I analyzing this??_

He held up his arm and pointed to the sensitive area on the inside of his elbow.  "Does that make this my _elbow_pit?"

If she had a free arm to smack him, she would have.  Instead she rolled her eyes, shook her head, and said, "_Shut_ up."  With that, she started to trot in the water, still carrying Squall.  "_Jog_, jog, jog, jog, _jog_**,** jog, jog, jog…" she chanted, imitating a locomotive.

Looking like geeks playing that push-off game moments earlier was one thing.  And now being carried around by a woman in her arms looked utterly idiotic to the public eye.  Squall was glancing all around to ensure their privacy.  This was one thing he did _not_ want to be teased about later.

"Rinoa, how much of Laguna's beer did you drink?" he asked jokingly.

She spat out a laugh, "_What_?!  One!  I don't have to be drunk to have a little fun."  She was approaching the shallow end and his body was leaving the buoyancy of the water.  Gravity was quickly pulling on his weight as Rinoa challenged herself to see how far she could continue to carry him.

Sensing her struggle, Squall quickly wrapped his arms around her neck and clung to her like a baby, "Don't drop me!"

She gave him an odd look and queried, "How much of Laguna's beer did **you** drink, Squall?"

She finally gently put him back down much to Squall's relief.  Their arms slid away from each other, fingers brushing.  At the very end of his fingertips, he felt a slight pull from Rinoa's own, and took the hint (he hoped it was a hint anyway) not to let go altogether.  Under the water, he held out his hands, the hooking of their fingers the only physical contact at the moment.

Silence, except for the tune of fiddles and flutes in the background from the music disc that was still on.  Playtime was over.  A quiet awkwardness had set in as the two friends nervously exchanged glances.

"I missed you… --guys," Rinoa said.

"…_We_ missed you too," Squall said in a quiet voice.

One moment, one second of pure gaze into the other's eyes and Squall forgot to breathe.  He cleared his throat before continuing, "So, did you find your friends?"

"Yes, I met up with Zone and Watts in Timber actually.  We reminisced about old times, that sort of thing."

"I'm sorry I couldn't come with you.  I mean, being your knight and all—you know, that whole duty thing…"

Rinoa laughed like he was ridiculous for thinking that.  "Oh, that's ok.  I didn't expect you to just drop everything and hop on a train with me."  She paused, asking a question that was bothering her from the start.  "Squall, you don't feel obligated to be my knight, do you?  I don't want you to feel forced into doing things or act a certain way just because of me--"

"No!"  Squall said with determination, cutting her off.  "I have no regrets to accepting that responsibility.  I'm—I'm honored you chose me," he added softly, throwing in a small smile.

"And I'm honored you accepted."  Rinoa returned the lip-turned gesture.  Letting her free mind run away with her, she commented, "You have the sweetest smile.  How come I never saw it on you before?"

_No, Rinoa, **you** have the best smile I've ever seen.  And you seem to have no problem showing it._  As an afterthought,_ Come to think of it, I never have seen what I look like when I smile.  Mental note: look at smile in front of mirror later._

Squall's cheeks felt hot.  He didn't know how to take such compliments.  He grunted, rolled his eyes, and scrunched in that present smile, trying to hide it.

"No, no!  Don't cover it up!" Rinoa let go of one of his hands to use her fingers to form his grin once more, using her wet thumb and forefinger to raise the corners of his mouth.  "Oh, shit.  I embarrassed you.  Ok, end of subject."  She removed her hand, leaving his mouth kind of crooked from her trying to sculpt it back to its sweet former smile.  Changing the topic, Rinoa looked up to the cloudless desert sky.  "There sure are a lot of stars out tonight."

Thinking back to everything they just did since this afternoon: the playing, teasing, joking, laughing, talking, holding, Triple Triad strategizing, swimming, dunking…  _This girl-- this woman is completely amazing.  I wish I could be half as spirited as she is.  She just--she has the ability to just throw all her inhibitions out the window and not give a second thought to any negative consequences.  To the outsiders, she can portray her calm and mature sorceress side.  But behind closed doors, she can act from her heart again and not worry about the attention she gets from those who fear her, or give her forced respect.  She can do what she wants.  If she wants to splash around in a pool, then she'll do it.  If she wants to pick up her knight and jog through the water, more power to her._

Squall glanced up at the dark blanket of atmosphere, dotted with hundreds of twinkling lights, only to look back down at the young woman in front of him again.  She was gazing at the sky like it was the first time she ever saw it, finding infinite fascination with her upper surroundings.

_Déjà vu, almost._  This time Squall didn't need the help of a shooting star to act as catalyst for his spontaneous action.  The sky had been completely calm, but his heart and mind were swirling with emotion and a physical need to pull her closer.

Slowly tugging onto her fingers that were hooked onto his, he pulled their bodies closer together. Their hands rose out of the water as their arms bent at the elbow, forearms touching.  Rinoa had looked down from her obsession with the heavens at the movement, to see her knight's partially open lips slowly advancing on hers.  Her instant reaction was to lick her already wet lips and draw in a short breath before contact.

Squall closed his eyes at the gradual impact, slightly cocking his head to avoid bumping her nose.  He froze, not wanting to spoil the feel of her soft full lips against his; trying to do everything like he did the first time he kissed her, since it seemed to have gone quite well that time.

They parted as slowly as they joined, Squall letting out a controlled breath of air that he wasn't aware he had been holding in.  Rinoa stared at his leaving mouth, also appearing breathless.  

She tore her gaze away from his lips to rest at his eyes as Squall confessed, "I've been wanting to do that all day."

She answered, "You're not the only one."  Squall only had a second to look surprised until she initiated their next kiss.  This time he felt her varying the pressure on his lips, adding a little movement from her mouth.  He responded by doing the same, realizing she was kissing a statue if he didn't show a little animation.  A part of him was still nervous, and concentrated on loosening the tension that caused him to freeze up.  He had to remind himself to breathe again as this kiss lasted longer than the last.  

He never realized how coordinated you had to be to enjoy a great kiss.  There's the touch of the lips themselves, what you decide to do _with_ the lips once their together, how to remember to breathe in and slowly out your nose, what to do with your hands-- _Oh!  My hands!_  

Letting go of the tight grip they had around each other's fingers, _I don't remember consciously clutching them like this,_ he wrapped his arms around her waist and lower back.  A stifled moan from Rinoa vibrated against his mouth as she found a place to rest her arms also, hung around his neck.

Just when he thought she was about to pull away and end their third ever official kiss, she would add a few quick smooches, almost like an encore to the master performance.  Squall was letting her inadvertently teach him every movement she was making, that his mind was too lost in mush to think of himself.  _Just like when she taught me how to dance, first-hand training, showing me each step along the way as it happens._

Their lips opened further and further with each encore, taking each other's mouths with extra intensity as they clamped down on the swollen pink flesh.  The passionate pecking finally ended with a slow pucker being stretched out as they drew back to look at each other once again.

Rinoa spoke, "You know one aspect that I really like about a kiss, is that sound that it makes right when we part.  That last (smoochtsk)," she demonstrated by kissing the two-inch space of air between their faces.  Squall playfully leaned in trying to catch it, but was too late.

"You mean this sound?"  He captured her bottom lip in his and lightly sucked on it as he pulled away, making a similar noise when his mouth let go.  He pulled back to gaze at her expression, not really expecting an answer.  Rinoa's eyes remained closed, lips parted, unwilling to let go of that sensation.

_I think she liked that._

She slowly opened her eyes and uttered a shaky "Uh-huh."  Nearing his mouth once more, her eyes remained open and widened her lips farther apart.

_Ohh, yeah, she liked it._  He followed her example and did as she did, tentatively parting his lips, waiting in anticipation to find out what she was going to show him next.  Their wet lips met, open and moving across the others.  Half-lidded eyes speaking to each other in words their lips were too busy to verbalize.  

Nudging, teasing, his tongue accidentally brushed against her lips, tasting traces of chlorine on soft skin.  Or he thought perhaps it wasn't an accident.  Either way Rinoa took it as an invitation for hers to join the party as well.  Their eyes continued to exchange nonverbal replies as they cautiously explored the next step of their kiss.

The passion was increasing, the timidness of their actions diminishing.  Almost simultaneously, the two melted into each other, creating a closed liplock to conceal the fervor of what was going on inside.  Rinoa played with his hair at the base of his neck.  

_Oh, yeah, I got distracted again.  The hands!  Gotta remember to move my hands once in awhile._  Squall moved his hands along the tight wet back of her swimsuit, making sure he was still concentrating on his tongue movements at the same time.

He couldn't help but listen to the soft clicking sounds produced by their slick mouths, thanks to Rinoa pointing out that particular 'smoochy' noise before.  _Hyne, she tastes good.  I didn't ever think I would enjoy the flavor of a woman's mouth until now.  It doesn't really taste like anything… just, Rinoa.  I wonder if she ever kissed Seifer like this._  Squall refused to let himself tense up at the thought.  _It doesn't matter.  I'm the one she's with right here and now._

Finally, after what had to be the most intense experience they shared together romantically, they parted to take much needed breaths.  Rinoa nervously glanced at the patio area, "Maybe we shouldn't be doing this right out here in the open, in the center of the pool like this.  I heard Selphie brought along her camcorder again."

Squall quickly looked in the same direction.  He had been terrified the last time she had it at the celebration party, and definitely wanted to avoid it this time too, especially since his behavior today would betray his aloof reputation if any of the public outside his circle of friends would happen to lay eyes on it.

"Good point."  _But I don't want to stop kissing you either._

"What if we were to go over there by the ladder?" Rinoa gestured to a corner where they would be obstructed from view in case anyone was to peek from inside the kitchenette area.

"Another good point."  He nodded his head to the side as to say 'come on'.  They swam to the designated corner, which happened to be housed in the deep end.  The two nervously treaded water, all their limbs waving to keep them afloat.  

_How are we supposed to continue what we were doing if our feet can't even touch the ground?  There's got to be a way.  I'm dying to touch those lips again._

Squall looked at what was around them.  Grabbing the side of the ladder, he remembered the buoyancy factor from when Rinoa had been carrying him around with ease.  

Reaching out an arm to grab onto the ladder also, Rinoa said timidly, "I am really glad that you decided to make it.  We would have missed out on so much.  I definitely wouldn't have had as much fun today without you here."

"I'm glad too," Squall smiled shyly.  "Actually, can I tell you something?"  _No!  You can't tell her!  What am I saying?_

"Of course!" Rinoa giggled at his coy openness. 

_I already started the subject.  Now I have to follow through._  Fighting with his pride, he continued, "When I first arrived here today, Selphie told me that not everyone could make it."  _I'm never drinking again._

"Uh,huh."

_Stop speaking right now!  Change what you're going to say.  Don't confess this to her, she's going to think you're so corny!_  Squall gulped down his inner argument.  "And…  I was so worried that she was going to say _you_ were that person.  So…  I'm really glad that you're here too."  _There.  It's done.  I said it._  But he decided to not elaborate and add that she was the main reason that he decided to come in the first place.

Rinoa smiled sweetly at his admission.  She took her free hand and placed it behind his neck to pull him in for a quick kiss.

Squall licked his lips and offered, "You can hold onto me with both arms…  That is, if--if you want."

"Can I trust that you're going to support the both of us from sinking?" she teased as she wrapped her other arm around his neck also, holding on tight since she didn't have a grip on the reliable ladder anymore.

"The gravity resistance is different in the water, remember?  I'll hold onto the ladder for the both of us."  Rinoa was comfortably sandwiched in-between her knight's solid body and the ladder behind her.  Squall also placed his feet on the bottom rung for more stability.  He was surprised when he felt Rinoa wrap her legs around his waist in order to balance the steadiness.

_We've never been **this** close before._

"Does your ring tarnish in the water?"

'"Huh?  Oh, my ring on your necklace?"  Squall looked down to find that she had been wearing that special piece of jewelry this whole time.  He stiffened at the view that his angle was giving him, right past the necklace to her obvious cleavage pressed into her embrace around his body.  _Dang.  I've been staring at that goddamn zipper all day I didn't even notice she continued to wear the necklace like that._

He forced his gaze back up to her close face and stuttered, " Uh, no,--not that I know of…"  They continued to stare up close into each other's eyes.  _Hyne, she is…_ he thought as he moved his face closer.

_so…_

_incredible…_

Their lips met cautiously again at first, having that brief intermission since the first act in the center of the pool.  However, it did not take long to get back into the rhythm.  They continued where they left off, tongues curiously exploring the new discovery.

_I'm actually 'making out' with Rinoa, as the guys would call it.  Let's see, is everything in check?  _

_Breathing? Yes.  _

_Hands? Busy holding to ladder.  _

_Consciously aware of what I'm doing with my mouth? Yes.  _

_Enjoying this? OH yes._

The heat was building, the pressure on their mouths becoming more aggressive.  

"Are you guys ever coming in or what??  I can't even see you!" Selphie's shout was heard from the sliding patio door.

Squall and Rinoa abruptly halted their hungry appetite and stared at each other in scared shock at the interruption.  They turned their heads toward the voice of the intrusion, but Selphie couldn't see them behind their little barrier.  With Rinoa still wrapped around Squall's upper body, and his feet still on the bottom rung of the ladder, he lifted them both so they could peer over the pool's edge to find Selphie scanning the landscape with a hand perched above her eyebrows.

"We'll be right in," Rinoa called.  They waited for Selphie to disappear and close the door behind her before Squall lowered them back behind the sanctuary of their hiding spot again.  Immediate silence followed, small waves caused the knight and sorceress to bob slightly in the water like buoys.

"I guess we should go inside the house."

"Yeah, you're right."

Yet, Rinoa didn't loosen her grip around his body nor did Squall attempt to crawl up the ladder.  Instead, he admired her slicked-back hair, perfectly controlled around the contours of her head.  Framing her wet glistening skin on her face, a few water drops hanging at the bottom of her alluring chin.  So close to those tempting full lips of hers that he had been entertaining before the disruption…

They met with gruff ferocity, licking, tasting, craving each other now that they knew they had to stop and eventually join the rest of the group inside.  Squall couldn't stand not to be able to use his hands while she had the opportunity to press her entire body against his.  He let one of his hands on the ladder go and stroke the back of her hair.   It wasn't until he heard Rinoa's involuntary short moans that he noticed how aroused he had become.  

_Darn this heated pool.  It can't keep me down._

Rinoa's legs that were holding her up around his waist were beginning to slip and slide lower, innocently making her body sag lower onto his hips.

Squall's eyes opened huge as he realized her drooping bottom would eventually feel his current problem inside his shorts.  _No!  I can't let her feel that.  That would be so embarrassing!_

Rinoa hadn't sensed his immediate panic and continued to kiss him passionately one more time before they had to inevitably quit.  Squall took his hand that was caressing the back of her head and quickly placed it right on the bottom of her rear so he could position her from falling farther down.  Rinoa let out a surprised, but compliant moan without pausing the kiss in response to where Squall had grabbed her.

F_uck, that was supposed to be a solution.  We should really stop before anything happens next._

As the session was coming to a close, Rinoa was reluctant to let go of his mouth, sensuously hanging onto his tongue with her lips, using a slight vacuum as she pulled away.

_We really have to stop **now**._

Slowly letting go of his shoulders, Squall helped Rinoa get off of him, being very careful how he unwrapped her from his waist to avoid bumping against 'that area'.  He waited for her to climb out first and noticed her suit had ridden up on her again like before, catching a nice eyeful of rounded flesh as he stood on the bottom of the ladder just below her.  He resisted an urge to reach out and smooth the creamy white skin with the palm of his hand.

_Damn, this just doesn't get any easier._

Climbing up the ladder also, water poured off Squall's body and his shorts sagged and clung to his skin.  He took on a frightened expression as he glanced down.  

_Shit!!  I can't get out looking like this!!  Shit!  Shit, shit, shit…_  He quickly splashed back into the refreshing concealment of the water before Rinoa had a chance to turn around.

She laughed, "Aren't you coming?  Come on."

Squall was panicking on the inside, but was determined to remain calm and collected on the outside.  "I'll be right there.  You go ahead."  _Just give me a moment.  Alone.  Having your body stay out here to distract me won't help._

Rinoa looked calculative, trying to start a few sentences, not sure of what to assume.  Finally, she asked, "Why aren't you coming?"

_Agh!  This is not the time to be getting all nosy.  Please just drop it, don't worry about the details, Rinoa, please!_  "I—just want a few laps before I go in for the night.  I didn't get a chance to all day yet."  _Yeah, that should work._

Rinoa shrugged, "Okay," grabbed a towel, and turned back to the door to the kitchenette.  After a few steps, she froze and twirled back to look at Squall who had already started his laps, unaware that she was still there.  She touched her mouth with her fingertips pondering, "I wonder…" then shook her head, a private smile on her lips as she turned to enter the house.

After composing himself with some brisk exercise, Squall dried off, snatched his card deck, and headed to the changing room.  Everyone's suits were hanging on various fixtures to air dry.  He combed his hair, changed back into his normal attire, and hung up his trunks on a towel bar.  He snuck a peak at Rinoa's dripping blue tropical one-piece and gazed at the neckline.  Being the only one in the room, he slowly lowered that tempting zipper that had distracted him so many times earlier, until it was opened as far as it would go at the middle of the torso.  He smirked and exited the room.

Several pairs of boots were strewn about by the door, his along with two brown sets and another black petite pair.  There also was a pair of scruffy black and red high-tops.  Realizing the others must have opted to leave their footwear off, he decided to not put his back on yet either.

Squall padded barefoot into the next room, which seemed to be a living or family room.  The lights were off but the TV was on playing an old black and white show.  Zell was alone in the room, sitting on the couch munching some chips and laughing at the TV, periodically relieving himself of gas, in more ways than one.  Squall was unsure of where to go, he didn't want to look like an idiot walking around the large mansion getting lost looking for the others—or more specifically—looking for _her_, in particular.

Plopping down in a big cushioned chair, Squall asked, "What are you watching?"

"Oh hey, Squall.  I came across that old movie that I was talking about earlier, the first of the 'Ma and Pa Kettle' series, you know, that comedy where they move from their tiny shack on the farm to a new deluxe house that they win in some drawing with these cool inventions and everything goes wrong?!!"

Squall nodded and looked at the screen.  'Ma' was apparently putting her children to bed.  There were all sorts of buttons on the console in the wall.  She was pressing all of them trying to turn off the lights, but instead created slapstick havoc in the children's bedroom.

Zell bounced up and down, sending potato chip crumbs flying, laughing, "Oh, man!  That was _classic_!"  

"Hey, guys," greeted Rinoa as she entered the room, fully dressed also.

_Ah, there she is. _

She looked at Squall and flashed a smile, looking for a place to sit.

_Argh, I wasn't thinking when I chose a single chair.  If I would have taken a sofa, she could sit next to me.  I'll have to remember that next time.  I'm not used to thinking of these things._

Rinoa brushed some chips off the cushion and took a seat next to Zell, who was slapping his knees and laughing loudly at the movie.  She asked, "Where is everybody?"

Zell said, "What do you mean 'everybody'?  The majority of the people in this house are right here."

"You know what I mean, where's Selphie and Irvine?"

Judging by what Irvine had told Squall earlier in their card game before the girls arrived, he hoped they were not doing anything that could get them all in trouble, especially being in such an important person's house.  _They wouldn't be that risky, would they?  If they get caught, I'm not going to be responsible for them._

"They're playing pool or something in the game room.  Oh, here's another funny part!"  Zell guffawed, followed by an enormous belch.  "Excuse me," he said in a small, embarrassed voice.

"Oh, _now_ you excuse yourself," Squall remarked dryly.

"There's a lady present!  I don't worry about offending _you_."

Rinoa's face took on a grimace, waving her hand in front of her nose.  "Oh, Zell!  That carried over."  She immediately got up and sat on the floor in front of Squall in-between his feet.

"Sorry," said Zell as he sniffed the air.

Squall became aware of Rinoa shifting where she sat on the floor.  _She doesn't look very comfortable down there.  What should I do?_  He noticed how roomy his chair was.  _Should I ask her to share it with me?  Maybe if we were alone…  I don't want the others to tease us. _

_There I go, worrying about my image again.  _He looked down at Rinoa, changing positions once more, tucking her legs to the side to angle her butt off the hard floor.  Stifling a yawn, she rested her head on his calf.  Squall could feel her body heat on his leg.

_She looks tired.  I wonder when we'll see each other again after tonight.  And even when she **is** back at Garden, how much will I get to see her?  My job has kept me so busy.  Will I be able to live up to my other responsibility as knight at the same time?  Maybe if we shared the same dorm, I could watch over her better…  Whoa.  That's getting ahead of myself.  First things first._

Squall bent down and tapped her on the shoulder, asking her if she wanted to share the chair with him.  Rinoa smiled and got up off the hardwood floor.  As she was crawling into the space Squall gave her, the top of the chair arm popped open, displaying a small control panel.

"Aw, cool.  Did you see this, Squall?"

The possibility of more buttons to push intrigued Zell.  "Rinoa, push the big black one at the top!"

"Okay!"

Squall panicked, "No!  You guys don't even know what it does!"  However, he spoke too late, and a padded footrest extended from the foot of the chair, raising Squall and Rinoa's feet off the floor.

"See, these are just harmless buttons for the chair's functions," Rinoa explained.  She continued to fiddle with some of the other smaller buttons, making their chair recline into several different positions.

Zell said, "Okay, now push that bright red one at the bottom!"

Rinoa agreed immediately, "Yeah!  I wonder what that one does!"

_I…  guess that couldn't hurt.  Everything else seemed to be undamaging._

Rinoa pressed the anticipated button and the chair instantly dropped back so that their backs were parallel with the floor, their legs still elevated above the surprised couple.

Squall said out loud, "What's does Laguna use this for?  Dental work??"

Rinoa nervously futzed with the control panel again to return them to one of their previous positions.  "I'm sure that one was supposed to turn into a flat-out bed, but I must have screwed something up with the leg section.  

Meanwhile, Zell was finding his friends' predicament more hilarious than his movie. Rinoa finally fixed the chair's pose to a standard 50-degree recline with the footrest up, and innocently closed the control panel back up.  

"All better," she squeaked out shyly.  Zell continued to chortle, trying to convince Rinoa to play around with it some more.

Squall said in a semi-threatening manner, "Go back to your movie, Zell."  He then softened his expression and automatically wrapped his arm around the young woman who had cozied herself against his reclined body, "You're right, this is much better."

She squeezed him in return and brushed her bare feet with his.  He could feel her smile against his chest.  He, in turn, squeezed her tighter.  She half-blocked his view of the TV set, but he stopped focusing on the movie anyway.

_That's it.   I am so CRAZY about her!  So, now, **is** she my girlfriend?  Would I call her that if somebody asked who that girl with me is?  What would she call me?  Easily, she could just say I'm her knight.  But I can't say, 'This is Rinoa, my sorceress.'  No, that doesn't sound right at all.  Or maybe she **would** call me her boyfriend… hmm…_

_I thought Laguna would have returned back by now.  Didn't he say something about needing to talk with me after the Ulti-fiasco was over?  It must be a security issue that he needs to hire SeeD for.  But he also said he would understand if I don't want to hear it.  _

_What does that mean?  Oh, great.  It's probably a long-term high-risk job.  Although that would mean more money for Garden… whatever, I don't care about any of that right now._

He glanced down at his… whatever he was going to call her—he hadn't decided on that yet.  She had turned her face away from the TV set and was fast asleep.  Squall had to breath out a laugh and smirk.  Zell had also settled down and was tranquil on the couch, fighting to keep his eyes open.  Feeling quite drowsy himself, Squall let out a relaxing yawn.

_I guess all that swimming wiped us all out.  Not to mention being outside in that hot sun.  What **are** Irvine and Selphie up to?  I wonder if Rinoa and I will go as far as they have.  But I think that's a ways off yet.  Who knows, maybe she'll be my wife someday.  What kind of future does she want?  Does she even know that answer herself yet?_

Squall rolled his eyes at how he was thinking too far ahead again.  _I just like the way things are right **now**: friends nearby, an old movie flickering on in the background, and with her resting against me._

…I guess we'll see where this takes us. 

@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@

It was late when two middle-aged men stepped into the dark house.

"Looks like the kids are still here."

"Probably waiting for you, you were supposed to be the host, after all.  This **is** your house."

The Estharian president and his aide spotted the sleeping teenagers in the glow of the TV set.  "Look, he's over there in the chair with the young sorceress.  I told you you would have missed him when you left the party too early—chicken."  Kiros added seriously, "So, since you copped out today, when **do** you plan to tell him the news?"

Laguna gazed down wistfully at his snoozing son and the dark-haired girl resting on his chest.

"There's always tomorrow."

**THE END**

Sorry if you were waiting for the expected Laguna-Squall father-son talk.  You know how many of those are out there??  If you need closure, just search through the list and I'm sure you're bound to run into one.

_Acknowledgements:  _First, I would like to thank my husband for doing some of those crazy stunts in the pool, which gave me the idea to incorporate them in this story; also, for enduring my pestering questions on how the mind of a teenage male works.

Credit needs to be given to _RobertDogwood_ for his much-needed help on the Triple Triad strategies.  I wouldn't have been able to write that section at all without your assistance!

Also, to _Zidanes NEW Princess_ to be the most to bug me (in a good way) to write another Squinoa.  Your inspiration was the last straw where I said to myself, 'Yeah!  Why not?'

And also all the others that rooted me on to do another fic.  I'm afraid to list any more names, 'cause I don't want to leave anyone out!  You know who you are ;)

Oh, and last but not least, thanks to the big picture menu on the wall at Orange Julius of their deluxe loaded hot dog. 


End file.
